How to Choose and Install Kitchen Cabinets
If you’re looking to undertake a DIY kitchen renovation, without hiring a cabinet maker or tradies, then installing new kitchen cabinets is the way to do. And, contrary to belief, you don’t need any prior building or renovation experience to complete the task.
Replacing kitchen cabinets is undoubtedly the easiest and most affordable kitchen upgrade option. When placing like for like, by this, I mean keeping the same layout and plumbing in the existing location, it really is a case of ‘out with the old and in with the new’! But not all new kitchen cabinets are the same; in fact, even DIY kitchen cabinets vary vasty.
Ross’s Discount Home Centre is known as the ‘go-to’ centre for easy and affordable kitchen renovations, and that is because our products are not only affordable but also offer fantastic value for money. It’s one thing to sell cheap kitchen cabinets, but it’s another to sell affordable kitchen cabinets that are high in quality. This is the Ross’s Discount Home Centre difference. It is also the key to choosing the right kitchen cabinets.
Today, we delve deep into the offerings of kitchen cabinets in Perth. I will provide you with essential tips on how to choose kitchen cabinets for a DIY renovation and how to install them. So, without further ado, let’s get starting by looking at the considerations for choosing kitchen cabinets.
Considerations for choosing kitchen cabinets
As mentioned, not all kitchen cabinets are the same. You only have to do a quick Google search for “kitchen cabinets Perth” to see the variety of options available. The main options being; flat pack kitchens, pre-assembled kitchens and custom made kitchens. I recommend you read my previous article, titled ‘Everything You Need To Know About Kitchen Cabinets’ to understand the difference of each.
As you may have guessed, in terms of price, flat pack kitchens are the cheapest, and custom made kitchens are the most expensive. Pre-assembled kitchens sit somewhere in between. However, choosing kitchens cabinets should never be decided on price alone.
Quality of cabinet construction
Of course, the price of the cabinets matter, but it should be in correlation with the quality. Remember, you get what you pay for, and this is the unfortunate disadvantage of flat pack kitchen cabinets. Unlike pre-assembled and custom made kitchens, which are both constructed in a warehouse by professions, flat pack kitchen cabinets built entirely by the customer, and usually with only an Allen key or a power drill. Moreover, because they are the budget option, subpar materials are commonly used in the construction which warrants a lesser lifespan than their counterparts.
Not surprisingly, pre-assembled kitchens get my vote in terms of quality for money. At Ross’s Discount Home Centre, our entire kitchen cabinet range is pre-assembled and made from top quality materials that are on par with custom kitchens. Highly Moisture Resistant (HMR) board is used for the carcases, and Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) board is used for the doors are. Our cabinets are sanded, coated with a primer paint, and then finished with two topcoats of a 2-pack epoxy.
Quality should play a leading role in your decision making. Regardless of your budget, new kitchen cabinets is a significant investment, and therefore, you want to get longevity from them. I’ll touch on this a little further down in the warranty section.
Configuration options
Another important factor when choosing kitchen cabinets is to review the configuration options available. Make sure the range of cabinets you’re interested in offer replacement cabinets that are the same width as your existing cabinets – remember, like for like is the most economical option.
Therefore, if your kitchen has 60cm double door wall cabinets, followed by a 30cm single wall cupboard, then a convenient solution is to find the same size cabinets in the new range. Of course, you can also mix it up with a new configuration of the same width. For instance; in the example above, a 60cm and a 30cm wall cabinet is used. Two 45cm single wall cabinets could easily replace these. As long as the length matches the existing space, happy days!
You should have no trouble at all finding the right cabinets to match your existing cabinet configuration or wall space in Ross’s Discount Home Centre’s extensive range. We have nineteen different kitchen wall cabinet options alone!
Style and design options
The style and design of kitchen cabinets are also outstanding, but it shouldn’t ever be the deciding factor. Quality and price should drive your decision making.
In terms of style and design, consider the options available and how they would look in your space. Can you create the aesthetics you desire? Will they still be in style in five or even ten years time, or will they look dated before their expected lifespan ends?
Obviously, kitchen design trends are something we follow very closely here at Ross’s Discount Home Centre, and while wood-look and black kitchens are trending today, they probably won’t be in 5-years time. For this reason, we stick to the classic white high-gloss finish on all our kitchen cabinets. They never age and always look stylish and trending, regardless of current trends.
Opting for white kitchen cabinets is a smart choice. Introduce styles and trends through your choice of handles, benchtops, splashbacks and flooring.
Delivery & Installation considerations
By now, you should have a good idea of the type of cabinets you want to buy, which cabinet configurations you need, and how you’re going to style your cabinets. Now, how are you going to receive them?
If we look back to the types of kitchen cabinets in Perth, we know that flat packs require assembly and pre-assembled require no assembly just fitting. Now, unless you get excited about spending days assembling Ikea furniture, and more importantly, are good at it, I would pass on the flat pack option. This option will only lead to inferior installation and frustration, and no one wants that!
Given this article is all about a DIY kitchen renovation – with no hired trades, custom kitchens are not an option. So, this leaves us with pre-assembled cabinets, and of course, we believe they offer the superior delivery option as well. And this is not based on only my biased opinion! You need only scroll down to the section on ‘How to Install Kitchen Cabinets’ to see how easy installing a pre-assembled kitchen really is!
Warranty considerations
It’s vital to consider a kitchen’s warranty in the choosing process. As I mentioned, kitchen cabinets are a significant investment. You want to ensure you’re getting not only value for money, but quality for money, and this can be established by the warranty offered.
The warranty is a true testament of their quality, based on everyday use. Therefore, if a one or two year warranty is offered, it’s a fair assumption to presume the cabinets are of low quality and will, therefore, be a poor investment. On the other hand, if a five or ten-year warranty is offered, you can assume the cabinets are of good to high quality and will be a sound investment.
FYI: Ross’s Discount Home Centre offers a standard five-year warranty on all wall cupboards and base cabinets in our kitchen range. You can rest assured knowing our kitchens will provide the expected longevity.
How to Install Kitchen Cabinets
Installing kitchen cabinets isn’t something to dread! Really. Would you believe me if I said, you can install an entire kitchen – by yourself – in a matter of hours? Well, you should because I have video evidence to prove it. But before I show you just how easy it is, let’s look at what’s involved.
We’ve already established in the Installation Considerations that a flat pack kitchen isn’t the best option. So, I’m going to focus on pre-assembled cabinets here.
As mentioned, pre-assembled cabinets are assembled in a warehouse by the manufacturer. Not only do they offer superior quality and strength, but all the hard work has been done for you. Meaning, installation simply couldn’t be easier!
Tools to install a pre-assembled kitchen
Very few tools are needed to install a pre-assembled kitchen, and many home DIY enthusiasts will already have the required tools in their tool shed.
Tools required:
- Trolley
- Power drill
- Tape measure
- Level
- Ladder
- Cabinet levelling system – I highly recommend “Stan The Stand”
Installation Instructions
You only have to watch our timelapse video below to see how easy and effortless is it to install your own kitchen by choosing pre-assembled kitchen cabinets.
- Start by wheeling in each cabinet and remove the boxing. Start with the base cabinets, moving each into place.
- Using a power drill, fix each cabinet into place; fix them to one another by removing the doors and screwing screws into the pre-drilled holes. Connect the doors and then repeat for each base cabinet until they are all joined. Then fix the base cabinets to the walls, so they are secure in place.
- Re-attach the existing benchtop or install a new benchtop.
- Add the pantry and any additional wall cabinets, repeating Step 2.
- Using a level, mark out a level line along the base hight of the wall cabinets.
- Adjust Stan The Stand to the marked high and place in position of the first wall cabinets.
- Attach the wall cabinets to the walls in the same manner as the base cabinets, moving Stan The Stand into place as required. Refer to Step 2.
- Complete installation by attaching the provided door handles to the base and wall cabinets.
As shown in the video above, Ross’s Discount Home Centre’s kitchen cabinets make DIY kitchen renovations quick and easy. All base cabinets and wall cupboards are delivered already assembled, so it is merely a matter of placing them in position and fixing them into place. It couldn’t be any easier.
You can replace your entire kitchen on your own in a matter of hours!!
Conclusion
Complete a DIY kitchen renovation on your own, with no help from tradies or kitchen cabinet makers is not only possible, but it’s also very easy to do – providing you choose the right kitchen cabinets.
When choosing kitchen cabinets for DIY installation, there are a few considerations to make to ensure you make it easy on yourself.
First, you want to look for kitchen cabinets in Perth that offer quality. In most cases, the price is a reflection of the quality, and you don’t want to choose kitchen cabinets solely on affordability.
Then you want to look for cabinets that offer the configurations favourable to your existing layout and kitchen space. Do they match your existing cabinet sizes or can you create a new configuration to fit the same space?
Then you want to consider the style and design. Will they still look modern in five or ten years time or will they be a passing fad that you’ll regret?
Next, it’s a matter of looking at the delivery and installation options, and this will come down to the choice of either plat pack kitchen or pre-assembled kitchen cabinets, wherein the latter, the assembly has already been done for you. Thus, saving your days of frustration, trying to assemble each cabinet correctly.
Finally, always consider the warranty. A one or two year warranty is a sign of poor quality. Always opt for kitchen cabinets in Perth that offer a minimum 5-year warranty, such as those offered here at Ross’s Discount Home Centre.
Installing Ross’s Discount Home Centre’s pre-assembled kitchen cabinets couldn’t be easier. In fact, they are possibly the easiest kitchen cabinets to install of all! Simply put them in place and fix them into position. It couldn’t be more simple than that!
Renovate your kitchen affordably and conveniently with peace of mind knowing you’re buying quality cabinets that are built to last. Save on your cabinets and save on your trades with our DIY kitchens!
Visit our Guildford showroom or use our 3D Kitchen Planner to create then purchase everything needed for your new kitchen via our website.
